Palate Expander Experience?

[bartleby1]

4 sounds very young to me, but I'm not an orthodontist. Maybe there is a good reason?

Our orthodontist uses the general guideline that they are ready to start ortho when the front eight perm teeth are in (4 middle on top and 4 middle on bottom). My oldest started her palate expander around 7-1/2 yrs old. Our orthodontist tries to do most retainers and expanders at night, so hers was removable and she only wore it at night. We turned it once a week while it was out of her mouth and then she put it in. She had very little pain or discomfort and I think a large part of that is because she was so young. As kids get older, the palate turns from soft and pliable to hard bone. Once it is hardened, the palate expander is actually cracking the bone small amounts at a time and this is painful (I didn't get my palate expander until after I had gone through puberty and it was horrible). So, I definitely would advise looking into your options sooner, rather than later. However, unless something is drastically wrong, I would think that 4 is young.

 

[jacksmomma]

Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences!

I have appointments with 2 different orthos for second opinons. We will finish those up by next week so that DH and I can have time to think. I am really not all that concerned with DS needing ortho work in the future, both DH and I had braces and headgear for overbites for at least 3 years...we know the ortho will come some day!

Hopefully they can shed a bright light on the situation and give DH and I some sound advice.

 

[dragonfly08]

DD #1 had a pretty bad cross bite that the dentist discussed with me when she was 4 or 5. He told us we could treat it then, or wait until her permanent teeth came in and see if it resolved itself. The downside to waiting was that if it was still there, correcting it would be a little more difficult.

We chose to wait. She's got 7 permanent teeth right now, and they're looking pretty good so far. It's not definite, but as of her last checkup the dentist was optimistic that we might not need to worry about correction.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

DS had one (and DD has one in her future), both had to wait until they had adult (6 year) molars in anchor the expander onto.

The other big concern was compliancy- I still had to help DS get around his expander clean. I can't imagine trying to do that with a 4 year old though. (And they need to wear a retainer afterwards, also a nuisance with a preschooler, I'd think.)

 

[mommy2twingles]

My son just got his a month ago, we are past the turning stage but he needs to wear it for 5 more months. His top teeth were actually pushing the bottom front teeth out of his jaw. Had we waited to much longer he could have lost his bottom front teeth(which are already his adult ones)

 

[gumbo1009]

I am researching this right now for my own DD. Most studies I have read indicate that kids with a skeletal crossbite should start early, but by early they mention 7 (not 4). They always seem to cite the "mixed dentition" stage as when you would want to start using an appliance ("mixed" as in some baby teeth and some adult teeth). Unless your 4 y.o. has already starting getting some adult teeth (which I know can happen), I assume your ortho will have you wait.

I am not looking forward to this with my DD... And I am a bit panicked about the potential for relapse. *sigh*

 

[design_mom]

I personally had one when I was around 11 or 12. I called it my torture device. Every night I had to turn that thing and my mouth would have a feeling that was an achy soreness and a kinda of tightness. It was very needed in my case and after braces I ended up with a great smile Oh and eating certain foods was a problem. You can't get suction, food gets in between the roof of your mouth and the device. Was it bearable sure but it was no picnic. Good luck to the both of you.

I had one at the same age and felt the same way (torture device). My son got his when he was 8 and I was all worried about it... but it was no big deal for him. Our orthodontist said they try to do it earlier now, because the bones at the top of the mouth fuse during puberty -- much easier to change the shape of the mouth *before* they fuse.

DS had his in (and turned) for several months, then 6 months of having it in place, but not turning it. Since then, he's worn a retainer (full time for several months, now just at night.) It's amazing what a difference the palette expander made in his mouth. We still go for periodic check ups. Our orthodontist is very pleased and is now saying "*if* he needs braces" instead of "when he gets braces."

 

[mansionterror]

Wow...I got mine in middle school with my braces. I had a tooth that didn't come down because their wasn't room so they pulled 4 perm teeth put in the palate expander and then pulled the tooth down.

Just make sure you don't mess up when you turn the key...that is a trip to the orthodonist to get it fixed.

 

[dngtrumps]

Both my sons had palate expanders. My oldest had the removable one (looked like a retainer) in 4th grade for about 9 months. My younger son, now in 4th grade, has had the non-removable retainer in since last August and stopped turning the key (expand) in December.

Our experience has been a good one. They have some tenderness the first few days of placement until the mouth gets used to the expander.

 

[gillenkl]

Both of my kids have/had palette expanders, spacers, retainers (twins age 11) - then they'll have "baby" braces on the top only - $3000 each - yikes I'm sure your dentist will refer you to an orthodontist who will decide the best time to start the process.

 

[tinytreasures]

My daughter got her first one in at age 3. She has had 3 on top and 2 on the bottom. She just got the last one out this week. She has been in braces for 2 yrs now and needs 2 sets of those too
Her mouth was damaged from the respirators at birth.

 

[FLDisneyMom]

My DS (almost 8) will be getting one on 5/6. I took him in for an orthodontic consult last week because there was not enough room for all of his permanent teeth to come in. I thought the orthodontist was going to tell me to wait because DS has only lost 6 teeth (2 on top and 4 on bottom) but he wanted to start right away. There's not enough room in DSs jaw for the permanent teeth on top to drop down to push the baby teeth out right now. The bottom is so crowded the teeth are coming in in rows instead of next to each other. This is Phase I of treatment and it (along with braces) will last about a year. Then DS will be in retainers until the rest of his teeth come in when he'll get a 2nd set of braces. We're hoping he avoids the multiple extractions I (and my mom) had because of large teeth and small jaws.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

glad I found this thread....

are most of you going through orthodontists? our dentist made a palate expander suggestion for DS7's underbite (we are going back in June to see if things have changed) and says he does it in his office.

He's a newer (7ish years in practice) dentist that most of my friends use, and one of the services he offers is early treatment orthodontic care.

Just wondering if thats what most dentists say they are , or if I should get a second opinion.

 

[Celidh]

glad I found this thread....

are most of you going through orthodontists? our dentist made a palate expander suggestion for DS7's underbite (we are going back in June to see if things have changed) and says he does it in his office.

He's a newer (7ish years in practice) dentist that most of my friends use, and one of the services he offers is early treatment orthodontic care.

Just wondering if thats what most dentists say they are , or if I should get a second opinion.

My dentist is just a normal dentist but has went back to get upgrading to do some ortho work. He did my ds's (13) braces and will do a retainer for my dd 7 this coming year when I have enough money. She needs more room in her mouth for her teeth. She is 7, will be 8 in August but has only lost 2 teeth so far. She feels a bit ripped off by the toothfairy because all her friends have lost lots of teeth. He referred ds 11 to an actual orthodontist as what my son needs it out of his realm of expertise.

That made me feel more confident in my dentist that he was willing to send my son elsewhere.

I had my teeth straightened with retainers by a plain ole dentist and they are fine. Not perfect but that is my own fault because as a typical teen, I didn't want to wear it so they weren't set and shifted some after I quit wearing my retainer. I also didn't like my dentist I had a child.

 

[PHXscuba]

Each dentist has his/her own training and comfort level with doing orthodontics. My dentist only does basic retainers and refers everything else to a very good orthodontist but I know many dentists do more.

I'd ask what kid of post-dental school training your dentist has -- a three-day weekend course or a months-long fellowship? I think I'd also want at least a consult with an orthodontist to get the "whole picture," not just what your dentist wants to work on now. You don't want to be penny-wise but pound-foolish.

PHXscuba